§ 26. Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many housing authorities will underspend on their housing capital investment programmes in the current financial year; and what is the total sum involved.
§ Mr. StanleyUntil firm information on actual expenditure for the year is available it will not be possible to say how many authorities have underspent in 1979–80.
582WOn our best present estimate the total outturn for English authorities in 1979–80, expressed in outturn prices, is likely to fall within the range of an underspend of £95 million to an overspend of £55 million.
§ 28. Mr. Majorasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total and percentage underspend under the housing investment programme allocations in each financial year between 1975–76 and 1978–79.
§ Mr. StanleyThe information is as follows. Figures are shown at outturn prices for the year in question.
- 1975–76—£42.3 million (11.9 per cent.)
- 1976–77—£97.7 million (15.7 per cent.)
- 1977–78—£31.8 million overspend (1.5 per cent.)
- 1978–79—£291.4 million (11.7 per cent)
Allocations for 1975–76 were for improvement of local authority dwellings only. Those for 1976–77 included in addition lending to private persons. Allocations for 1977–78 and 1978–79 related to total local authority housing investment. The system of local housing strategies and investment programmes (HIP's) was introduced for the year 1978–79.
§ 48. Mr. Winnickasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received over the housing investment programme.
§ Mr. StanleyBy 21 March, 25 of the 367 housing authorities in England had written to the Department to say that their HIP allocations for 1980–81 were insufficient.